Why Waking Up Before Sunrise Could Be Bad For Health

Waking up before the sun could be harming your health, according to a new study.

Scientists in Melbourne, Australia said the act of getting up at ridiculous o’clock can cause ‘social jet lag’, which refers to the difference between when a person is forced to wake up and when they wake up naturally.

When the sun rises, the body’s melatonin – the hormone which helps people sleep – is naturally suppressed. At the same time, the body’s internal cortisol levels, which gives people energy, rise.

When a person is forced to wake up instead of waking up naturally, however, these hormones don’t work as they should.

This hormone imbalance can increase the risk of:

Heart disease

Stroke

Diabetes

Depression

Thankfully there are ways to mitigate some of these risks, such as cutting out caffeine later in the day, eating a big breakfast to set you up for the day and using alarm clocks that simulate the sunrise.